Interlocking mechanism for drilling machines



W. T. SEARS.

INTERLOC-KING MECHANISM FOR DRILLING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18, I920.

1,434,752; Patented Nov. 7, 1922,

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24 awvemtoz 32 ZJ 52151664 Patented Nov. 7, 1922.

UNITED sTA Es 1,434,152 PATENT OFFICE.

' WILLARD r, SEARS, or uon'rcnnm, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR '10 NILES-BEMENT- POND comumr, on N W roux, n. Y., A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

' in'rnnnocxnre xncnmsu FOR'DRILLING MACHINES.

Application filed February 18, 1920. Serial No. 359,682.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known'that I, WILLARD T. Spare, a citizen of the United States, residm at Montclair, in the county of Essex and tate of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Interlocking Mechanisms for Drilling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to drilling machines and particularly to radial drilling machines wherein a radial drill supporting arm is vertically adjustably mounted on a supporting column. Such a machine is usually provided with means for adjusting the drill supporting arm on the column and with a clamping means for securing the arm to the column in its adjusted position. It is a particular object of this invention to provide an improved interlocking mechanism for positively preventing the simultaneous operation of these two means.

Otherv and more specific objects will appear as the description of the invention proceeds.

Referring to the drawings: a

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a radial drilling machine embodying thepresent invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section of a portion of'the machine taken on the line 2-2 of Fig.1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig.. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the machine showing the clamping levers in operative position.

Fig. 4 is a like view but showing the clamping levers in inoperative position.

In the drawings, I have illustrated a radial drilling machine comprising the usual base 1 with a column2 thereon and a. radial drill supporting arm 3 adjustable vertically on the column. The saddle 4 with the drill spindle 5 mounted therein is adjustably supported along the arm 3 on one side of the column and a driving means, as the motor 6, with the gearing illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. is supported on the opposite side of the column. I have furthermore illustrated means for vertically adjusting the arm on the column, clamping means forsecuring the arm in its adjusted position, and my improved interlocking mechanism as ap* plied to such two means to prevent the simultaneous operation thereof. While the invention is shown as applied to the machine illustrated in the drawing and is particularly applicable thereto, it should, however, be understood that in its broader aspect the improved interlocking mechanism may be applied to other constructions comprising a support and-adjustable means thereon.

The arm 3 is adapted to be adjusted vertically on the column 2, preferably from the motor 6 through the following mechanism. A pinion 7 keyed to the motor shaft meshes with a gear 8 loosely mounted on the arm shaft 9. Connected with the gear 8 is a pinion 10 which meshes with a gear 11 on a countershaft 12. One element 13 of a toothed clutch 13 is splined to the countershaft 12, the other element 13 of such clutch being provided with a socket 14 adapted to rotatably support the end of the shaft'12 therein. The element 13 of the clutch is keyed to the short shaft 15 having a bevel gear 16 thereon meshing with a bevel gear 16' secured to a rotatable nut 17 in threaded engagement with a screw 18. This screw is non-rotatably supported on the columnattherefore be seen that with the clutch 13' engaged, the arm 3 may be moved vertically in either direction directly from the motor 6.

The means for clamping the arm in its adjusted position to the. column is particularly illustrated in Fig. 2 and preferably comprises the following v mechanism. Set

into grooves formed at the junction of the column 2 and the arm 3 are the comple- .mental clamping members 23 which, as will hereinafter appear, move up and down with the arm 3 and also are adapted to engage against the column 2 when it is desired to hold the arm 3 in the adjusted position. Extending through these clamping members 23 are the rods 24, each rod at one end being provided with holding and check nuts 25 and being prevented from rotation by any suitable means, while their other ends are furnished with adjusting nuts 26 constituting the hubs of clamping levers 27, which levers have two positions, a clamping position as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and an ineffective or non-clamping position as shown in Fig. 4:.

Cooperative with the adjusting nuts 26 and necessarily with the levers 27 and also cooperative with the clutch lever 22 is a controlling member hereinafter described, which member has two positions, being adapted when in one position to permit the setting of the clamping members 23 through the action of the levers 27 and when suchlevers are in clamping position to prevent the movement of the clutch lever 22, while when in the other position said controlling member permits the movement of the lever 22 but prevents any movement of the clamping levers while the lever 22 is in operative iosition. Thus when the controlling member is in the said first position the arm 3 can be clamped but cannot be raised or lowered, and when in the said second position the .arm can be raised or lowered but not clamped. the said controlling member therefore acting as an interlock to prevent the simultaneous operation of both said members.

The controlling member herein illustrated comprises an elongated longitudinally sliding plate 28 having longitudinal slots 29 at its ends to receive the rods 24. This plate is connected to and adapted to be moved by the clutch lever 22, such connection heiein being shown as a pin orprojection extending from an arm 31 on the hub of the lever 22 and engaging in a transverse elongated hole 30 in the plate 28.. The hub of each iever 27 is provided with a circular flange 32 and a slot 33 in each flan e. A lu or.

pin 34 is secured to each end of the plate 28 adjacent the said hubs and in the operation of the interlocking mechanism each pin is adapted to rest either on its respective flange or within the adjacent slot in the flange.

The operation of the improved interlocking mechanism is as follows. With the interlocking mechanism in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the clamping levers 27 am in their operative or clamping position whereby the arm 3 is clamped to the supporting column 2. The clutch 13 is in a disengaged position as shown in Fig. 1 and since the pins 34 are resting on the flanges 32. the plate 28 cannot move downwardly and the lever 22 cannot therefore be rocked to engage the clutch. However, when the clamping levers 27 are moved to the inoperative or clamp-releasing position shown in Fig. 4 the slots 33 are opposite the pins 34 whereupon the plate 28 is allowed to move downwardly and thereby permit the rotation of the lever 22 and the re-engagement of the clutch 13. It will-therefore be seen that the arm adjusting mechanism cannot be thrown into operative engagement when the clamping mechanism is en god and vice versa.' It will furthermore a noted that when either the clutch lever 22 or the levers 27 are in the operative position the other lever or levers respectively are securely locked against any movement.

lVhat I claim is: 4

1. In a drilling machine, the combination of a support, an arm adjustable thereon, means for adjusting the arm, means for securing the arm to the support in adjusted position, devices for controlling the said two means, and mechanism comprising a member lways in operative engagement with the said devices whereby the operation of either of the said two means is positively prevented when the other means is in operative position.

2. In a drilling machine, the combination of a support, an arm adjustable'thereon, means for adjusting the arm, means for securing the arm to the support in' adjusted position, a lever for controlling each of the said means respectively, and mechanism' comprising a sliding plate adapted to operatively engage and prevent movementpf either of said levers into operative position when the other-lever is in operative position.

3. In a drilling machine. the combination of a support, an arm adustable thereon, means for adjusting the arm, means for securing the arm to the support in adjusted position, a lever for controllin each of the said means respectively, an a 'common means always in operative positive engagement with both levers for preventing the operation of either of said means when the other is in operative position.

4. In a drilling machine, the combination of a support, an arm adjustable thereon, means for adjusting the arm, means for securing the arm to the sup 011: in adjusted position, a lever for controllin each of the said means respectively, an mechanism comprising a member having lugs thereon engaging both levers to prevent the operation of either means when the other is in operative position.

5. In a drilling machine, the combination of a support, anarm adjustable thereon, means for adjusting the arm, means for securing the arm to the sup ort in adjusted position, a. lever for controlling each of the said means respectively, and mechanism comprising a sliding member having ln s thereon engaging both levers to prevent t e operation of either means when the other is in operative positiom 6. In a drilling machine, the combination of a support, an arm adjustable thereon, means for adjusting the arm, means for secontrolling lever being operatively connect-' the other lever having a pin and slot engagement with the member, whereby either lever is prevented from operating 1ts"respective means when the other lever and its means are in operative position.

7. In a drilling machine, the combination of a support, an arm adjustable thereon, means for adjusting the arm, means comprising a clamping lever for securing the arm to the support in adjusted position, a lever for controlling the said adjusting means, a. longitudinally sliding plate, the

ed to the plate and adapted to slide the same, and a pin and slot connection between the clamping lever and the plate, the arrangement of the parts being such that the levers cannot be, moved to place both the adjusting means and clamping means in operation simultaneously.

8. In a drilling, machine, the combination of a support. an arm adjustable thereon, means for adjusting the arm, means comprising a clamping lever for securing the arm to the support in adjusted position, a lever for controlling the said adjusting means, a longitudinally sliding plate, the controlling lever being operatively connected to the plate and adapted to slide the same, a flange provided with a slot therein on the hub of the clamping lever, and a pin on the plate adapted in the operative position of the controlling lever to seat in the slot and thereby prevent movement of the clamping lever and in the operative position of the clamping lever to seat on the flange and thereby prevent movement of the controlling lever.

9. In a drilling machine, the combination of a column, an arm vertically adjustable thereon, means for so adjusting the arm, means for securing the arm to the column in adjusted position, a lever on the arm for controlling each of the said means respectively, and mechanism on the arm for preventing movement of either of said levers into operative position when the other lever is in operative position.

10, In a drilling machine, the combination of a column, an arm vertically adjustable thereon, means for vertically adjustin the arm on the column, a hand operated 0 amping lever on the arm for securing the arm to the column in adjusted position, a lever for controlling the adjustlng means, and mechanism on the arm for preventing move ment of either of said levers into operative position when the other lever is in operative position.

11. In a drilling machine, the combination of a column, an arm vertically adjustable thereon, a drill spindle mounted on the arm, power means on the arm for operating the spindle, screw means for adjustlng the arm vertically on the column, a clutch connection between the power means and screw means, clamping means for securing the arm to the column in adjusted position, a lever for controlling the clutch, a lever for controlling the clamping means, and mechanism for preventing the placing of the twolevers into operative position simultaneousl In testimony whereof, I hereto a my I signature. 

